If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Japanese researchers say the March 11th tsunami may have been amplified by a massive lifting of the seabed within the focus zone of the quake.
The researchers analyzed tsunami data from along the Pacific coast of northeastern Japan and from farther out in the ocean.......
Saturday, April 02, 2011 19:09 +0900 (JST)http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/02_23.html

Disaster-area firms '1st in line' for contracts

Precedence will be given to businesses from disaster-hit areas in handing out restoration contracts in the first phase of a government emergency employment assistance program for people affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, it was learned Saturday......

More than 12,000 people have been confirmed dead so far in the March 11th massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit northeastern Japan.
The highest number of deaths was reported in Miyagi Prefecture -- 7,318 -- followed by 3,518 in neighboring Iwate Prefecture. Other deaths were reported in a wide area of eastern Japan, including 7 in Tokyo.....

The Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors are to discuss next week Japan's efforts to recover from the March 11th earthquake and coordinated response among the member nations.....

Japanese scientists say that a tsunami nearly 38 meters high hit a coastal city in Iwate Prefecture after the earthquake on March 11th.
University of Tokyo Associate Professor Yoshinobu Tsuji and his team conducted a survey of tsunami damage in the Taro district of Miyako City......

Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the US military have ended a 3-day operation to find missing people after the March 11th earthquake and tsunami. Authorities say 77 bodies had been recovered as of 4 PM on Sunday. But more than 15,000 people remain missing.....
Sunday, April 03, 2011 20:26 +0900 (JST)http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/03_23.html

Over 2,000 care home residents evacuated

NHK has learned that more than 2,000 elderly people were evacuated from nursing homes damaged by the March 11th earthquake and tsunami....

The Secretary General of the Democratic Party of Japan says his government will submit the first draft of a supplementary budget to the Diet before the end of this month and another one by June or July to help regions hit by the March 11th earthquake and tsunami....

More than 161,000 people were taking refuge in quake-ravaged northern and eastern Japan as of Sunday evening.
Japan's National Police Agency said evacuees are staying in shelters in 17 prefectures.....

An increasing number of people from the 20-kilometer evacuation zone around the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant are defying authorities to return temporarily to take care of their pets, it has been learned.

Volunteers from animal protection groups also have been entering the evacuation zone at pet owners' request for such purposes as feeding the pets, according to prefectural government sources.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Total donations received by the Japanese Red Cross Society and the Central Community Chest of Japan for people afflicted by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami stood at 115.4 billion yen as of Saturday, the two charity organizations said Sunday.....

Construction of temporary housing completed at school in tsunami-ravaged city

RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate -- The construction of temporary housing facilities for those who lost their homes in the March 11 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami has been completed at a junior high school here.....
(Mainichi Japan) April 4, 2011http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na009000c.html

Quake-hit coastal residents reluctant to evacuate hometowns

Less than 10 percent of displaced residents along the tsunami-ravaged coastal region of Iwate Prefecture, who have been ordered to evacuate to inland areas, have done so as of April 3, Iwate Prefectural Government officials say....
(Mainichi Japan) April 4, 2011http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na019000c.html

Young children taken under uncle's wing after losing parents in tsunami

RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate -- Three children orphaned by a tsunami that devastated the town of Rikuzentakata on March 11 have found a new home with their uncle.

Masanori Matsuda, a 41-year-old resident of Rikuzentakata made the decision to take his sister's three children into his home after learning of her death. He remains uncertain how the new family will survive, but was adamant not to leave the children by themselves....

About 1,200 cherry trees have begun to bloom in Ueno Park, one of Tokyo's most popular areas for viewing the trees' flowers. Yet the mood is subdued, no feasts abound and with fewer parties than normal, the park is almost empty.

Signs also have sprouted up around the park: "Given recent events, we hope visitors will refrain from throwing cherry-blossom viewing parties."....

The government plans to give as much financial support and compensation as possible to residents, farmers and companies that suffered damage from the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake, but it remains unknown where it will find the money.....

With the passing of more than three weeks since the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, Prime Minister Naoto Kan's government is shifting from the emergency mode of the first few weeks and trying to give the impression that it is focusing on rebuilding after the twin disasters.....
asahi com http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104040148.html

DPJ tries to draw opposition into post-earthquake effort

The ruling Democratic Party of Japan is offering opposition politicians an increased role in post-earthquake reconstruction despite the rebuttal of early attempts to form a grand coalition government.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Makoto Endo, a 69-year-old fisherman farming scallops and silver salmon, was working to extend ropes around marine aquaculture enclosures near a coastal levee with his friends around Ogatsu port in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, when a massive earthquake shook the area on March 11.....
(Mainichi Japan) April 5, 2011 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm042000c.html

Tsunami-ravaged town holds draw for temporary housing

RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate -- A draw for temporary housing for quake- and tsunami-displaced residents was held here April 5, with over 1,000 households applying for 36 openings.

At the makeshift city office, Mayor Futoshi Toba drew lots to choose 18 households from the general public to enter temporary housing along with 18 households consisting of elderly, disabled and single-mother families.....
(Mainichi Japan) April 5, 2011 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na009000c.html

TAGAMI, Niigata -- A woman with dementia has died from exposure after getting lost near a shelter here for the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami, shedding light on the lack of sufficient support for evacuees requiring special assistance......
(Mainichi Japan) April 5, 2011 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na017000c.html

Quake-ravaged village keeps busy disposing of tons of fish

OFUNATO, Iwate -- Residents in this tiny coastal fishing village are toiling to dispose of hundreds of metric tons of fish after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami battered refrigerated warehouses......
(Mainichi Japan) April 5, 2011 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na019000c.html

More than 27,000 people have been confirmed dead or missing in the March 11th earthquake and tsunami.
Japan's National Police Agency says the official death toll has risen to 12,431....
Wednesday, April 06, 2011 00:20 +0900 (JST)http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/06_02.html

Dead being buried after damage to crematoria

With damage to crematoriums and a lack of kerosene limiting the number of cremations in disaster-hit areas, local governments have begun performing burials, a practice not common in this nation.
More than 1,000 bodies had been buried in six municipalities in Miyagi Prefecture as of Sunday, according to data gathered by The Yomiuri Shimbun....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- While a mood of voluntary self-restraint is spreading following last month's deadly earthquake and tsunami, an official of a Japanese sake brewery in Iwate Prefecture has asked people to go ahead and hold cherry blossom viewing parties with sake made in disaster-hit areas....

Comment

Missing U.S. English teacher's fiancee confident he will be found alive

TENDO, Yamagata -- It has been nearly two weeks since a massive earthquake and tsunami tore into the northeast coast of Japan. Thousands have been confirmed dead, and thousands more remain missing. Still, one woman here refuses to give up hope her American fiance will be returned to her.....
(Mainichi Japan) March 24, 2011 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na031000c.html

Family of 5 found dead in car crushed under rubble in Miyagi

KESENNUMA, Miyagi -- A family of five have been found dead in a car under rubble near the remains of their home after their neighborhood was devastated by a tsunami triggered by the March 11 earthquake.

While hundreds of billions of yen have been donated for victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake, central and local government authorities have not been able to distribute the badly needed cash to those in need as the regions affected by the tremor and tsunami are so huge that it is difficult to come to grips with the full extent of the damage.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry intends to end within this month rolling blackouts now conducted by Tokyo Electric Power Co. to conserve electricity, sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday......

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The March 11 earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan and the ensuing nuclear crisis have strengthened the Japan-U.S. security alliance through U.S. assistance in responding to the disasters, a Pentagon official said Tuesday.....

The Asian Development Bank predicts robust growth of 7.8 percent in 2011 for the Asia-Pacific region as a whole. The organization believes the impact of Japan's recent disaster on supply chains will be limited.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto said Tuesday he is eager to discuss cooperation on disaster management with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, following the catastrophic quake and tsunami that hit Japan on March 11....

An increasing number of Japanese companies listed on stock exchanges are downgrading their earnings forecasts following the massive earthquake and tsunami last month and subsequent rolling blackouts....

US Marines finished clearing debris on a remote Japanese island off disaster-hit Miyagi prefecture on Wednesday.
The operation involving about 300 marines and heavy construction machinery started last Friday on Oshima Island. The March 11th tsunami left huge amounts of debris in its wake, including ships.....

Toyota Motor says it aims to restart assembly lines starting April 18th at most of its factories in Japan, after suspending production due to the March 11th earthquake....
Wednesday, April 06, 2011 19:17 +0900 (JST)http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/06_33.html

March 11 quake moves seabed 24 meters off Miyagi

The Japan Coast Guard says the seabed right above the seismic focus of the powerful earthquake on March 11th moved 24 meters to the east off Miyagi Prefecture in northeastern Japan......

Japan's non-life insurers say over 300,000 claims for quake insurance payouts have been filed by disaster victims.
The General Insurance Association of Japan says, as of Tuesday, the number of claims amounted to around 320,000......

Japanese organizations receiving donations for the areas stricken by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami are going to set up a committee to discuss ways to allocate the funds to affected areas.....
Thursday, April 07, 2011 02:08 +0900 (JST)http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/07_03.html

Govt may slash ODA budget after disaster

Japan may cut its aid budget to developing countries as it struggles to rebuild after the devastating March 11th earthquake and tsunami.....

The US Pacific Command chief has stressed that the huge US military contribution to relief efforts following the March 11th earthquake and tsunami in Japan proves the strength and maturity of the bilateral alliance.....

Visitors from overseas have all but disappeared from Tokyo's Asakusa district in the wake of the nuclear crisis following the March 11 quake and tsunami.
The downtown district of Asakusa is a major tourist attraction that draws around 30-million visitors every year, half of them foreigners.....

SENDAI--Red means remove everything, yellow means take away debris but leave the home, and green means please leave everything as it is.
The disaster countermeasures headquarters in Wataricho, Miyagi Prefecture, is asking owners of houses and buildings damaged by last month's earthquake and tsunami to use colored flags to indicate what they want done with their property......

A supplementary budget the government and the Democratic Party of Japan are crafting for postquake reconstruction likely will total more than 3 trillion yen, sources said Wednesday.
The extra budget, the first for this fiscal year, would be used mainly for disposing of rubble and constructing temporary housing for survivors of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami......

MORIOKA--Police in Iwate Prefecture are scratching their heads over how to return to their rightful owners safes and other valuable items recovered from the rubble left behind by last month's tsunami.
Safes swept out of houses destroyed when the earthquake-triggered tsunami inundated coastal areas of the prefecture have turned up in other locations, making it difficult to trace the owners.......

SENDAI--U.S. marines on Wednesday said goodbye to residents of Oshima--a Miyagi Prefecture island left devastated and cut off by the giant March 11 earthquake and tsunami--where they had spent several days helping with restoration work......

ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi Prefecture--Teachers returned to an elementary school here Tuesday for the first time since the March 11 disaster to sift through the debris for items needed to start the new school year. .....
asahi com http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104060135.html

___________________________

mainichi jp

Beer in short supply in Tokyo region due to quake, power outages

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Beer is running short at some retailers in the Tokyo metropolitan region as brewers struggle with damage to their factories and power outages caused by the March 11 quake and tsunami that ravaged northeastern Japan.......

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) -- The U.S. government is making final arrangements for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to visit Tokyo late next week, with the aim of enhancing bilateral cooperation in addressing the disaster in Japan, U.S. diplomatic sources said Wednesday......

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The seabed near the focus of a devastating earthquake that struck northeastern Japan last month has moved about 24 meters east-southeast and risen about 3 meters, a Japan Coast Guard survey showed Wednesday......

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese government is working on ending within this month controversial rolling blackouts now conducted by Tokyo Electric Power Co. to conserve electricity, government sources said Wednesday.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government and the ruling Democratic Party of Japan plan to cut the foreign aid allocation for fiscal 2011 by 20 percent to finance the first extra budget for post-quake relief and reconstruction, government and party sources said Wednesday.....

4-year-old boy who lost mom to tsunami: 'The most beautiful star in the sky is Mama'

RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate -- "The most beautiful star in the sky is Mama," says a young boy, repeating what his father told him, as he looks up at the clear night sky.

Four-year-old Ritsu and his 2-year-old brother Ei lost their mother, 32-year-old Kumiko Oikawa, to the tsunami. Kumiko, who liked the piano, had given her sons musical names: "Ritsu" from the word "senritsu," meaning "melody," and "Ei," meaning the chanting or singing of poetry....
If he could meet his mother, Ritsu has something he would tell her: "Daddy's OK."
(Mainichi Japan) April 7, 2011 http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na015000c.html

LDP head rules out possibility to form grand coalition with DPJ

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Sadakazu Tanigaki, leader of the largest opposition Liberal Democratic Party, on Thursday ruled out the possibility of forming a grand coalition with the ruling Democratic Party of Japan in the immediate future.....

Elderly woman found dead in snow after moving from one shelter to another

TAGAMI, Niigata -- An elderly woman suffering from cognitive impairment was found dead in the snow with no shoes on near an evacuation shelter in this small town in Niigata, after moving from one shelter to another for more than two weeks following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan....

A government task force has outlined a plan to slash electricity usage this summer, calling on households and businesses to conserve power in a bid to avoid rolling blackouts......
Friday, April 08, 2011 12:57 +0900 (JST)http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/08_25.html

Fewer foreign students at Tokyo Japanese school

A Japanese language school in Tokyo says about 15 percent of its foreign students have shown up for the new school year that started this month.

Toyota Motor is to soon resume operation of all of its factories in Japan including group plants in quake-hit Iwate and Miyagi prefectures. The firm stopped operations at all but 2 of its assembly factories after the March 11th earthquake and tsunami.
President Akio Toyoda told reporters on Friday that the resumption will take place on April 18th.....

A Japanese government survey indicates that workers' confidence in the economy has deteriorated significantly due to the recent massive earthquake and tsunami.
The Cabinet Office polled about 2,000 workers nationwide, including those at retail stores and restaurants.....

The seabed near the focus of the March 11 earthquake off Miyagi Prefecture moved about 24 meters east-southeast as a result of crustal movement during the massive temblor, the Japan Coast Guard announced Wednesday.....

In response to a lack of teachers and classrooms following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the education ministry is asking public schools to temporarily introduce a two-division system in which students take either morning or afternoon classes and to hold regular classes on Saturdays as well.....

At least 155 of 3,317 public primary, middle and high schools in prefectures affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake have been unable to resume classes in their original buildings, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey.....

A Democratic Party of Japan study commission asked the government Wednesday to slash the foreign aid budget for fiscal 2011 by 114.5 billion yen ($1.34 billion), a full 20 percent, to finance reconstruction for areas affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. .....

Immigration information in 5 languages for foreigners in disaster area

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Immigration Bureau announced Friday it will distribute flyers with information about visas and other immigration procedures in five languages to foreign nationals affected by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Self-Defense Forces have so far rescued more than 19,000 people and recovered about 7,900 bodies after the March 11 massive earthquake and tsunami that triggered a nuclear power plant crisis, the Defense Ministry said Thursday......http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm013000c.html

Gov't eyes curbing household power use in summer by 15-20&#37;

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government plans to ask households to reduce electricity use by 15-20 percent from a year earlier to cope with power shortages expected in Japan's eastern and northeastern regions this summer, a draft of the plan's outline showed Thursday......

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has drafted a reconstruction proposal for the coastal areas damaged by the massive earthquake and tsunami, featuring plans to build high-rise fish markets and move houses of fishermen's families to higher ground to counter tsunami, sources close to the issue said Thursday.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A total of 173 new graduates in Japan had job offers cancelled as of Wednesday, up 50 from a week earlier, in the aftermath of the March 11 mega earthquake, the labor ministry said Friday.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto sought a cautious debate Friday on an idea to slash Japan's foreign aid to secure funds for relief and reconstruction work in the country following the magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami on March 11, parliamentary vice foreign minister Ikuo Yamahana said....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Around 450 households, who evacuated their homes near a crisis-hit nuclear power plant in Fukuoka Prefecture, are expected to move starting Saturday into Tokyo's Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka, an upscale hotel that closed last month.....

KAMAISHI, Iwate -- Store owners in this tsunami-devastated city have been left with an uncertain future as the municipal government mulls remodeling the city to boost protection against future natural disasters.....http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na015000c.html

A new day breaks in a scarred city

RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate -- It is around 5 a.m. when a strip of red lights up the horizon as a wood fire is started on the grounds of Jionji Temple, opened to local residents since the March 11 quake and tsunami as an evacuation shelter.....http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na017000c.html

Earthquake and tsunami survivors began to move into temporary housing in the city of Rikuzen-takata in Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan, on Saturday. They are the first people to use temporary housing in the areas hit by the March 11th disaster......
Saturday, April 09, 2011 13:23 +0900 (JST)http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/09_17.html

Memorial service held for unidentified people

A memorial service for 39 unidentified earthquake and tsunami victims was held in Minami Sanriku Town, Miyagi Prefecture, on Saturday.
Four-hundred-twenty-five bodies have been found in the town, but 80 of them remain unidentified almost one month after a massive earthquake hit the region.....
Saturday, April 09, 2011 15:10 +0900 (JST)http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/09_19.html

500 sq km inundated

A survey has found that more than 500 square kilometers of land was ravaged by the tsunami triggered by the earthquake on March 11th....

In a major setback to world-renowned Japanese research, the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake seriously damaged many leading institutes of science and technology and is forcing delays in important projects. ...http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104080170.html

Nation mourns with boy who lost his parents

Immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake, 9-year-old Toshihito Aisawa's father, Kazuyuki, jumped in the car and raced to pick him up at his school in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture. Along with his wife, Noriko, Toshito's grandmother Kyoko and two cousins all packed into the car, Kazuyuki tried to outrace the approaching tsunami. ....http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104080173.html
__________________Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

U.S. budget battle spoils Washington Cherry Blossom Festival

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) -- A U.S. congressional budget battle has brought the government to the brink of shutting down for the first time in over 15 years, dealing a blow to an unlikely victim: Washington's annual Cherry Blossom Festival.....http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm004000c.html

Tens of millions of 'lost' cash found in tsunami-hit areas

SENDAI (Kyodo) -- Rescue workers and citizens have turned in to police tens of millions of yen in cash found in the rubble in mud-covered coastal areas in Japan's northeastern region, hit hard by the killer quake and massive tsunami last month, police said Saturday.....http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm011000c.html

Kan to set up Cabinet task force on quake reconstruction

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Naoto Kan has decided to set up a new Cabinet task force on post-quake reconstruction as early as next week, government officials said Friday.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Naoto Kan is making arrangements to write a message of gratitude in newspapers around the world for the global support Japan received following the earthquake and tsunami disaster, government sources said Saturday.....

Residents who were forced to evacuate following radiation leaks at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant began to move into a now-defunct hotel in Tokyo on April 9.

The Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka, a fancy hotel that was once a symbol of the bubble economy and was just closed down at the end of March, is now accommodating about 360 people from some 140 households from Fukushima Prefecture for free......http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na011000c.html

Tsunami survivors begin moving into temporary housing in Iwate

RIKUZENTAKATA (Kyodo) -- Survivors of last month's massive tsunami began moving into temporary housing in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, on Saturday as the first group of evacuees to do so in disaster-hit areas.....http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm054000c.html

Cherry trees have begun to bloom and bring solace to local people, in coastal areas of Fukushima Prefecture that were ravaged by the March 11th tsunami.....
Sunday, April 10, 2011 06:52 +0900 (JST)http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/10_01.html

SDF, US forces conducting search operations

Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the US military are conducting massive search operations on Sunday, for victims who are still missing after the March 11th earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan.....

The families of victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake will receive 350,000 yen for each member who was killed or is still missing, according to a decision by the Japanese Red Cross Society and three other organizations that have been accepting cash donations.....

Architect Tadao Ando and scriptwriter Makiko Uchidate will be among the members of a government panel that will draft recovery programs for areas devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, it has been learned.....

Tohoku Electric Power Co. has estimated it could face a power shortage this summer of up to 3.3 million kilowatts--equivalent to the power needed by 1.1 million households--and might have to implement rolling outages to avert major blackouts.....

Soil liquefaction on reclaimed land around Tokyo Bay because of the March 11 earthquake caused damage in at least 11 Tokyo wards and cities in Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures, according to tallies by local authorities. ....http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110409002397.htm

50 years of effort swept away / Tsunami wiped out dikes, breakwaters that took decades to build

Municipalities along the Sanriku coast spent decades building larger, stronger breakwaters to keep deadly tsunami out. However, many dikes and breakwaters--even the world's deepest--were simply swept away or left in ruins by the massive March 11 tsunami.....

Replete after drinking her mother's milk, 2-month-old Meika slept soundly on a futon at an evacuation center in Shichigahama, Miyagi Prefecture, as her mother gazed at her in relief on March 24. ...http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104090154.html

Tokyo plunged into darkness as neon dims

Although Tokyo was mostly spared by the Great East Japan Earthquake, life in the metropolis has been transformed. With rolling power outages and efforts to save electricity, the capital is not the glittering city it once was. It is as if someone hit the dimmer switch. ..........

ISHINOMAKI, Miyagi Prefecture--The story of a grieving mother whose daughter died in a fire following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami has created a bond between the family of Airi Sato, and children far away in Kyushu. ....http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104100081.html

Blind father searches for missing son

KESENNUMA, Miyagi Prefecture--On the night before the Great East Japan Earthquake, Yasuhiro Naganuma and his wife took their 8-year-old son, Chihiro, to a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant to celebrate him getting his "first dan" in calligraphy..........http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104100087.html
______________________Mainichi JP(kyodo, AP)

Dog training facility in Miyagi keeps tails wagging after tsunami

In the wake of the massive earthquake and tsunami that devastated the coastal town of Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture on March 11, Yumi Saito, the operator of a dog training facility in the city has been looking after 28 pets free of charge.....http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na015000c.html

Dentists struggle to identify those killed in quake disaster

KAMAISHI, Iwate -- Dentists here are frantically examining and recording the dental conditions of those found dead in the March 11 earthquake and tsunami to help confirm their identity.....

JAKARTA (Kyodo) -- Japan and Indonesia agreed Saturday that Tokyo and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations should step up cooperation in disaster management and prevention, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Voting kicked off in local elections across Japan on Sunday after campaigning overshadowed by the worst crisis in Japan's postwar history, triggered by a massive earthquake off the northeastern coast on March 11.....

ISHINOMAKI (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Naoto Kan visited a devastated fishing area Sunday in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, during his third trip to northeastern Japan since a massive earthquake and tsunami ravaged the region nearly a month ago.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Some 170 crew members aboard five Japan Coast Guard patrol ships were unable to vote in Sunday's local elections as they continued search and relief work in areas hit by last month's massive earthquake and tsunami.....

Monday marks a month since the massive earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan. The Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the US military conducted a massive search for more than 14,000 missing people on Sunday....

On Monday, exactly one month passed since a massive earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern Japan, but about 150,000 people are still living at evacuation centers. Many have lost their homes, jobs and family members, and are facing the challenge of rebuilding their lives.....
Monday, April 11, 2011 05:16 +0900 (JST)http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/11_07.html

DPJ loses strength in prefectural assemblies

In Sunday's elections for prefectural assemblies, Japan's governing Democratic Party has fallen short of its pre-election strength. It did not become the biggest party in any of the assemblies.....

The government has decided to shorten the period required for the presumption of death of persons missing in disasters from the current one year to three months, it has been learned.

The change will allow the timely payments of life insurance benefits, survivors' benefits from workers' compensation and pension payments to families of missing people presumed killed in the March 11 disaster....

Tokyo Disneyland in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, will resume operations Friday after being closed since the March 11 earthquake, the amusement park's operator Oriental Land Co. said.

But given the electricity shortage caused by power plant shutdowns in the wake of the March 11 disaster, Tokyo Disneyland will not operate after 6 p.m. for the time being. ....http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110410003475.htm
_________________________________Asahi com
___________________________________Mainichi jp(Kyodo, AP)

Head of Turkish aid team confident of Japan's fast recovery

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The head of the Turkish relief workers' team said Sunday he is confident that Japan will swiftly recover from the quake-triggered disaster, despite the "unimaginably" ravaged situation he saw during the team's operations in the country's northeastern region.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Of people taking refuge outside their home prefectures after the March 11 devastating earthquake and tsunami, one in six polled feel it is "unbearable" to continue living in such shelters away from their homes, a Kyodo News survey showed Sunday.....

SENDAI (Kyodo) -- The Miyagi prefectural government aims to reconstruct, rather than simply restore, cities and towns devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami with a new vision by fiscal 2020, a draft of its basic plan obtained by Kyodo News showed Sunday.....http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm009000c.html

14,000 still missing 1 month after quake-tsunami

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Over 14,000 people remain missing and there are few signs of the crisis at a crippled nuclear power plant ending soon as Japan on Monday marked one month since a massive earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern and eastern regions....http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...dm010000c.html

103 bodies found in 2nd intensive search in tsunami-hit zone

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A joint Japan-U.S. team recovered 99 bodies Sunday in tsunami-hit northeastern Japan, the Defense Ministry said Monday, bringing the total number of bodies found in the day to 103, including four found by the Japan Coast Guard....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Faced with legislative turmoil even before the triple tragedy of an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis struck Japan's northeastern coast on March 11, the government of Prime Minister Naoto Kan now must negotiate a drastically altered political landscape.....

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Prime Minister Naoto Kan does not need to step down to take the blame for the major setback suffered by his ruling party in the first round of nationwide local elections over the weekend, Japan's top government spokesman Yukio Edano said Monday.....

Local governments and residents in areas devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the ensuing tsunami are stepping up their efforts to restore their communities as one month has passed since the March 11 disaster....Ganbarou!http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na004000c.html

Following the extensive damage caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, many across Japan thought that cherry-blossom viewing parties were inappropriate. However, arguments that holding back on the consumption of food and drink will only slow the economic recovery of the hardest hit regions have since taken hold, and though delayed, many of Tokyo's favorite locations have turned out as lively as usual.....http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na010000c.html

One month after the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, more than 14,000 people still remain missing. For some families, that means a continuation of their desperate search to find missing loved ones -- including those who are too young to speak for themselves....http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na014000c.html

2 major steelmakers contribute to electrical power using private power plants

Ever since a massive earthquake and tsunami caused a serious accident at a nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture and damaged thermal power plants in Ibaraki Prefecture and elsewhere, two major steel companies have been running their own thermal power stations at full capacity to help supplement the low power supply....http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/natio...na023000c.html

Comment

The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. Moderators on this forum make every effort to review the material posted on this site however, it is not realistically possible for our staff to manually review each post.

The content of posts on this site, including but not limited to links to other web sites, are the expressed opinion of the original authors or posters and are not endorsed by, or representative of the opinions of, the owners or administration of this website. The posts on this website are the opinion of the specific author or poster and should not be construed as statements of advice or factual information.

Not all posts on this website are intended as truthful or factual assertion by their authors. NO posts on this website should be considered factual information on face value alone. Users are encouraged to USE DISCERNMENT and do their own follow up research while reading and posting on this website. FluTrackers.com Inc. reserves the right to make changes to, corrections and/or remove entirely at any time posts made on this website without notice. In addition, FluTrackers.com Inc. disclaims any and all liability for damages incurred directly or indirectly as a result of a post on this website.

This site is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. You should not assume that this site is error-free or that it will be suitable for the particular purpose which you have in mind when using it. In no event shall FluTrackers.com Inc. be liable for any special, incidental, indirect or consequential damages of any kind, or any damages whatsoever, including, without limitation, those resulting from loss of use, data or profits, whether or not advised of the possibility of damage, and on any theory of liability, arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of this site or other documents which are referenced by or linked to this site.

Finally, FluTrackers.com Inc. reserves the right to delete, correct, or make changes to any post on this website without notice at any time for any reason.

Fair Use Notice:
This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Users may make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of issues relating to public health, civil rights, economics, individual rights, international affairs, liberty, science & technology, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C.Section 107, the material on this site is distributed to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss and no more than 1 paragraph, and in no case more than 50% of the source material provide a link back to the original article and provide your original comments / criticism in your post with the article. Please remember you are responsible for what you post on the internet and you could be sued by the original copyright holder if you do not honor these rules.

If you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright

In accordance with section 512 of the U.S. Copyright Act our contact information has been registered with the United States Copyright Office. "Safe Harbor" noticing procedures as outlined in the DMCA apply to this website concerning all 3rd party posts published herein.

If notice is given of an alleged copyright violation we will act expeditiously to remove or disable access to the material(s) in question.

All 3rd party material posted on this website is the copyright of the respective owners / authors. FluTrackers.com Inc. makes no claim of copyright on such material.

Please be aware any communications sent complaining about a post on this website may be posted publicly at the discretion of the administration.

FluTrackers Does Not Provide Any Medical Advice:

FluTrackers, Inc. does not provide medical advice. Information on this web site is collected from various internet resources, and the FluTrackers board of directors makes no warranty to the safety, efficacy, correctness or completeness of the information posted on this site by any author or poster.

The information collated here is for instructional and/or discussion purposes only and is NOT intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or other medical condition. Every individual reader or poster should seek advice from their personal physician/healthcare practitioner before considering or using any interventions that are discussed on this website.

By continuing to access this website you agree to consult your personal physican before using any interventions posted on this website, and you agree to hold harmless FluTrackers.com Inc., the board of directors, the members, and all authors and posters for any effects from use of any medication, supplement, vitamin or other substance, device, intervention, etc. mentioned in posts on this website, or other internet venues referenced in posts on this website.

By using and/or accessing this site, either passively or actively, you are agreeing to all of the above conditions. Also, by using and/or accessing this site, either passively or actively, you agree to conduct all business and legal affairs related to this website in the jurisdiction of Flutrackers.com Inc. which is registered in Central Florida, USA.

These Disclaimers are subject to change at anytime.

Email the Webmaster with questions or comments about this site at flutrackers@earthlink.net